Masill Miranda '12

Major: Social Work

Minor: American Studies

As a stand-out high school student in Worcester Public Schools, Masill Miranda '12 was eligible for free tuition at any college in Worcester. But she chose to come to Wheelock because "Wheelock had the best reputation for Social Work, and the field work directly related to what I want to do,' Masill said.

As one of the first in herfamily to go to college, choosing where to go was a very significant decision for Masill and her family.

"I remember looking through the viewbook and reading where students had their field placements," Masill said. "One caught my eye-Escuelita Boriken. It's a pre-school program specifically for Spanish-speaking children. That's something that I relate to personally-and I didn't see anything like that at any other school."

Wheelock has been a great fit for Masill-so much so that her younger sister, Jalemi, decided to join her here this fall. "I love having my sister here," Masill said. "We support each other."

Though Masill entered Wheelock with a clear academic path, she said that she's become more open-minded during her time here. "I'm more comfortable meeting new people and understanding other peoples' views-which are very different from mine sometimes," Masill admitted. "There are all different types of people at Wheelock. I don't mean just race, but socio-economic status, people from different areas of the country, different cities. There's a real variety here."

"That's why I'm involved with the ALANA (African American, Latino/a, Asian American, and Native American) organization," Masill continued. "They have a great presence on campus, and I wanted to contribute to all of the work that they do.

"I would advise any student coming to Wheelock to be open-minded and to take chances-you'll never know what you might learn."